Online Account Citations are Important for Search

Citations and Content for Online Visibility

Citations and Content are the new “Link” for search. It is no SEO secret that search engines need quality, relevant data to bring forth as results for search queries. However, this basic knowledge is not widely known by small to midsize businesses that are trying to increase their sales online. Citations or mentions of a business’s consistent name, address, phone number, email, and website address on other websites such as directories, review sites, and other third party sites, provide credibility to search engines. The sites that are optimized with the proper key words, categories, and links also give search engines content to offer search queries. In summary, without a good number of optimized citations and content, it is unlikely for a business to show up as a search query result on the front page of search engines.

Quality, optimized citations and content are the foundation of an online marketing and advertising plan. Therefore it is important to know about the Online Citation Ecosystem. That is, how the online accounts share and distribute the citation content. Perhaps one of the best sources for general knowledge about the Citation Ecosystem is David Mihm’s group getlisted.org. David and his team of experienced and knowledgeable online marketers have provide valuable (and free) online marketing information to the public over the last few years. I highly recommend his website www.getlisted.org for further education on citations. He created a useful Local Search Ecosystem Infographic in 2oo9 that he recently updated, which depicts that flow of citation data.

Data Aggregators

Another useful resource for learning more about citations and online accounts is Infogroup. They are one of several important data aggregators for content distribution; others include Acxiom, Localeze, and Universal Business Listings. Infogroup now offers a free “expressupdate” listing service that is worthy of mentioning. I also like their resource page, which shares lots of good, free, information. Here it is: Have fun learning about citations!

Local Search Links & Resources

Local search has its own language, acronyms and experts. Below you’ll find links to several useful resources.

Local Search Engine Optimization Resources

Ten Must Read Tips to Start a Small Business Blog Think Beyond The Click: How To Build Landing Pages That Convert 8 Dimensions Of Excellent Landing Pages Social Media Gold: Ratings & Reviews 6 Reasons Why Local Data Will Rule In 2011 Small Business SEO: 45 Experts on the Biggest Mistakes SMBs Make with SEO Anatomy of a Local Search Listing SEO Tips for Local Businesses 25 Ways to Optimize for Local Search 8 Simple Steps to Make a Page More “Local” Local Search Optimization Tips Small Business SEO: How To Launch That Web Site Regional / Local Search Engine Marketing Tips and Strategies How To Do Local SEO For Your Website in Five Minutes (or So) How to Get Your Business Listed in Local Search Engines A Framework for Thinking About Local Search Campaigns Anatomy & Optimization Of A Local Business Profile Think Local, Act Social – Search Engine Watch (SEW) How to Optimize Local Business Profiles for Free Local Directories Using Images For Local SEO 3 Keys To Success For Local Search SEO

Roger is the founder and owner of MyBiz OnLine Services, LLC, an online marketing and advertising consulting firm that specializes in the design, implementation, and maintenance of customized online advertising and marketing plans for Insurance Agencies that produce measurable growth in sales and profits. MyBiz OnLine Services provides a Local Online Marketing Educational Blog Hub that incorporates some of the best current local online marketing resources via posts, links, and rss feeds.

Roger is also the founder and owner of The Insurance Advisor, LLC, an Independent Insurance Agency located at 7633 Hull Street Rd, Richmond VA 23235.

He also is a Virginia Territory Manager for Smart Choice Agents, a network of over 5000 insurance agents and 200 insurance carriers that provides independent insurance agents with access to top-rated markets, product training, and sales and marketing support.